Pre-K concepts
SCHOOL will be in full session in a matter of weeks, and though many of our children have missed a lot of instruction time, not much has changed about the aspects of the curriculum that they need to cover for their age group.
Starting at pre-k, there are certain concepts that are needed to move to the next level, and it is these that we will explore over the next four weeks (to K3). What are the concepts that your child will cover when they start school in September?
Here are the basics of pre-k (two year olds) as outlined by the Early Childhood Commission (ECC).
Term 1 – Developmental Objectives
WELLNESS (MOTOR DEVELOPMENT)
If provided with the appropriate opportunities children will:
•Co-ordinate gross motor movements, eg kick, climb, run, jump, rough and tumble play
•Manipulate objects with hands and fingers, eg locks, zipper, play dough, crayons
•Share play materials.
COMMUNICATION (LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT)
•Identify objects by words or gestures
•Name familiar objects, parts of the body; tell own name
•Participate with adults in interactive games and songs
•Listen attentively for short periods
•Speak in short sentences and use plurals
•Ask questions, especially “why?”
•Follow simple directions
•Repeat simple rhymes.
VALUING CULTURE (SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
•Enjoy make-believe play
•Imitate familiar local and cultural experiences, eg saying grace before meal
•Demonstrate sharing and caring for others
•Experience cultural representations, eg Christmastime in Jamaica.
RESPECT FOR SELF, OTHERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT (SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
•Begin to learn how to cope with emotions, eg happy, sad
•Begin to show interest in and care for others
•Begin to respect routines and schedules
•Begin to display good health practices.
Term 2
WELLNESS (MOTOR DEVELOPMENT)
•Improve in gross motor coordination, eg walk on tip-toes, jump on/off and run around objects, catch large balls, climb stairs
•Improve fine motor coordination, fit puzzle pieces together, string large beads, fasten large buttons, hold pencils/crayons with adult grip; snip paper with scissors
•Demonstrate more independence and self-help skills, eg use toilet
COMMUNICATION (LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT)
•Identify relationships between objects, eg television/remote; plate/cutlery
• Enjoy more complex word games, rhymes, songs and interactive games with adults
•Enjoy listening to and participating in stories
•Understand and use ”I”, “my”, “mine”
•Ask “why?” frequently
•Use simple sentences, eg My name is…
•Continue to expand vocabulary in speech
•Follow more than one direction in sequence.
VALUING CULTURE (SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
•Begin to show interest in other children and their similarities and differences
RESPECT FOR SELF, OTHERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT (SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
•Show pride in developing independence and self-help skills, eg hand washing, dressing and undressing, etc
•Participate in associative play with familiar play partners
•Begin to recognise own limits; will follow one to two simple rules
•Develop awareness of different ways of expressing feelings.
Term 3
WELLNESS (MOTOR DEVELOPMENT)
•Catch and throw large balls, climb ladders; use slide and other outdoor equipment; ride a tricycle; climb stairs
•Assemble simple large puzzles more confidently
•Copy simple shapes
•Begin to practise safety habits.
COMMUNICATION (LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT)
•Continue to express self in short sentences
•Know and use own names
•Enjoy fantasy and nonsense or funny words
•Begin to use pronouns, eg I, you, me
•Use plurals and some adjectives, eg pretty birds
•Begin to enjoy more interactive play with other children
•Enjoy read-along stories, rhyme games and songs
•Continue to ask many questions
VALUING CULTURE
•Respond with greater coordination to different musical beats and rhythms; imitate songs and music played by the media
•Begin to imitate behaviour related to religious and cultural practices, eg say prayers
•Indulge in role play and pretend play.
RESPECT FOR SELF, OTHERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT (SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
•Model how to treat others by observing those familiar to them
